Natural Environment Monitoring 2013, No 14, 87-96
PAH VARIABILITY IN VERTICAL PROFILES FROM OTALŻYNO, HUCZWA AND STOCZEK PEATLAND SITES
Izabela Bojakowska, Aleksandra Sztuczyńska, Bogusław Wiłkomirski
Summary
The purpose of this study was to examine differentiation and variation of the spectrum of unsubstituted polycyclic aromatic compounds found in vertical profiles extracted from three peatland sites. Three peatland deposits were selected for the study: Otalżyno near Kartuzy (northern Poland), Stoczek near Radzyń Podlaski (central Poland) and Huczwa near Tomaszów Lubelski (south-eastern Poland). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon content was determined by chromatography. Determination of hydrocarbon content in the extracts identified 17 compounds (15 of which are included on the so-called “list” of priority PAHs that EPA recommends should be targeted for measurement in the natural environment). Peats from the Otalżyno deposit (a raised bog) are characterised by lower PAH content – 436 μg•kg-1 compared with peats from the Huczwa and Stoczek (fens), where PAH content is 754 and 567 μg• kg-1, respectively. The PAH spectrum of the peats studied is dominated by tricyclic compounds, primarily by phenanthrene. This is in contrast with the PAH spectra of modern deposits in which tetra- and pentacyclic compounds account for the majority of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Bog peats have higher acenaphthene content, but at the same time have relatively low levels of fluoranthene relative to phenanthrene, if compared with peats from the Huczwa and Stoczek deposits.
